Experimental investigations on action of antihistaminic nasal solutions; a preliminary report

The effect of antihistaminic drugs in the form of solutions for nasal instillation on the mucous membranes of rabbits was investigated. So far as histologic observations would indicate, Antistine(R)-Privine(R) was the most harmful and caused almost complete necrosis throughout the entire nasal area. Pyribenzamine(R) was the least harmful. Allergan(R) caused more damage than did Pyribenzamine in the nasal mucosa of rabbits, but considerably less than Antistine-Privine.Clinically, the author has observed Antistine-Privine to be extremely irritating when employed as a topical application for symptomatic relief of nasal allergic disease. Pyribenzamine has caused considerable pain and discomfort in patients and has been least effective for relief of nasal congestion since it does not contain a vasoconstrictive agent. Allergan has not been observed by the author to be irritating to any degree in patients with nasal allergic disease unaccompanied by acute infection, and it has been noted to be the least irritating of these three antihistaminic solutions in nasal allergic disease complicated by infection.